“We avoid the things that we’re afraid of because we think there will be dire consequences if we confront them. But the truly dire consequences in our lives come from avoiding things that we need to learn about or discover.”

– Shakti Gawain, American author and proponent of personal development

Jack and Jill hadn’t been getting along well for some time. Jill realized the future of her relationship with Jack hinged upon the two of them openly discussing a number of important matters, most significantly, Jack’s tendency to brush aside her concerns and avoid discussing relationship issues. Jill was adamant that both she and Jack address the elephant in the room.

“Elephant in the room” is a phrase used to describe an obvious truth that is be...